General Harvey Shawn, once hailed as the Imperial Guardian who protected the borders from demons, returns to Dark Cloud City only to face public scorn and accusations of cowardice. Villagers blame him for their losses, accusing him of hiding in the Demon Cave for ten years while their sons died fighting. Despite his defense that he stayed to guard them, he is stripped of his titles and dismissed as a fraud. Meanwhile, a young man claiming to be his brother insists on taking him under his wing, promising to teach him how to fight. But the bitterness runs deep, ending with the brother's harsh rejection.